Selby
Director, TWC Films
John Selby is one of the most in-demand visual directors working today. Based in London, he has shot for virtually every automotive client on the planet; however, he is much more than a sheet metal shooter. Selby is considered to a premiere visual storyteller, whose striking, compelling imagery is best described as “arresting”. His singular design sense is apparent in all he does and his signature is very defined on all of his films.
A U.K. native, Selby is a graduate of the Barnsley College of Art & Design and the St. Martins School of Art. He started by working as a freelance designer, then joined London agency Addition as an Art Director. From there, he was an Art Director at Mustoe, Merriman Herring Levy, culminating his time in an agency at WCRS. While at WCRS he got the directing bug, and was signed by the famous British production company, Godman Films.
Selby has shot work for Audi, Orange and Carling Black Label, to name but a few. He has won numerous awards through the years, including the prestigious BTA Craft award, and his work for BMW was a finalist for the Palm D’or at Cannes.
Read More »Johan Skog
Director, TWC Films
Most directors in the commercial world have a serpentine path towards their ultimate success, and Johan Skog is no different. He started out as an assistant director and freelance still photographer, shooting various popular Swedish rock bands. His talent and dexterity with composition and form inspired him to become co-founder of his own production company Mekano Film & Television.
At Mekano, Johan continued to expand his directorial repertoire by doing commercials, music videos and even television shows for Swedish and Parisian TV. Some of his commercial successes include Gold and Silver Lions at the International Advertising Festival in Cannes. Additionally he received Gold at the New York Film Festival, Mobius, Clio, and a Golden Egg in Sweden. His production company has also been given the award of Best Advertising & Film Production Company in Scandinavia at the Nordic Advertising Festival.
As if these accomplishments weren’t enough, Johan also became a co-founder of SHS Pictures in 1996. The business quickly grew into a prominent industry leader, and was awarded Best Production Company of the year by the Swedish finance magazine Manadens Affarer. 1996 was a prosperous year for Johan as he also founded Mekano Baby, a school for burgeoning directors of short films and music videos.
Given the breadth of his endeavors, Johan doesn’t have much free time, but what little is left he spends reviewing films and writing for the Swedish magazine Nojesguiden. With a wealth of experience, talent, and creativity under his belt, Johan is an industry leader, continuously moving projects, people, and ideas forward.
Read More »Arni Thor Jonsson
Director, TWC Films
Arni Thor Jonsson basically grew up within the walls of a production house. Initially, he worked for his father, the CEO of SagaFilm, an Iceland based production company. Arni learned the art of visual storytelling from the ground up, working as a runner, grip, gaffer, AC, AD and even an editor before breaking out on his own in commercial direction.
After working as one of the country’s most distinguished radio hosts during the 90′s, Arni started his own program called Zyrdur rjomi, and continued to pump out progressive beats. Later he started an mp3 music blog as a new avenue for his musical tastes and fan base.
Accomplished is a misnomer for Arni, having gone above and beyond the description of the term in his endeavors. He has directed over 300 Icelandic commercials, 80 International spots, and a swath of music videos. In the process, Arni has received the best video award for Icelandic music videos, and he has been nominated for best video on a number of other projects. He has also been awarded or nominated commercially at Cannes, EuroBest, Golden Drum, Epica, Addy Awards, and YoungGuns.
Arni has worked on nearly every continent, and has done so for companies as prominent and varied as Smirnoff, Sony, Heineken, Ikea, and McDonalds. His ventures aren’t limited to commercials, music videos, and DJ gigs either. Currently, Arni is breaking into the feature film business with two new projects titled, Red Christmas, and The Obituarist. Arni has also just opened up his own production house in Reykjavik named Republik Films.
It takes a master of media to reach the lofty goals that Arni has, showing that not only does he have the talent, but also the experience, and passion, to bring any idea to life.
Read More »Alex Ogus
Director, TWC Films
Originally from Toronto, Alex Ogus began making short films right out of film school and financed them with his award-winning salad dressing line. One of the films played at the Providence Rhode Island International Film Festival and featured a music score by Alex Lifeson of the rock band RUSH.
After breaking into the commercial world with a spot for his own salad dressing, Alex has gone on to direct campaigns in many parts of the world that feature strong ideas with natural, comedic performances.
In 2007, Alex’s Fight Network campaign won 4 Gold Lions at Cannes, a Clio, a One Show merit award and Best of Show, Gold campaign and single at the Bessies. His European Media Market campaign was a finalist at Cannes the following year and was voted one of the top campaigns in Belgium.
His subsequent work has continued to win awards and his client list includes VISA, Newcastle Brown Ale, Time Warner, Kellogg’s and XBOX.
Read More »David Jellison
Director, TWC Films
David Jellison escaped to the relative safety of advertising following a soul-charring stint in the music industry. After designing guitars for Motley Crue and traveling the world with Van Halen as an Art Director for four years, he cut off his mullet and studied film at Art Center and photography at Otis Parsons. After helming numerous music videos, Jellison switched over to commercial work upon discovering that the catering was vastly superior.
David has directed over 300 spots for clients as varied and prominent as: NFL, PGA, EA Sports, Time Warner Cable, Mercedes, Toyota, Ford, Jaguar, Subway, Callaway, Domino’s, Panasonic, Sears, Dell, and the New York Lottery, to name a few.
He’s received a swath of gold and silver awards at various contests, and has been profiled in numerous industry trades.
Philosophy: Beware the lollipop of mediocrity – Lick it once and you suck forever
Specialty: Irony + Humor + Mayhem = Hell Yeah
Read More »Gentlemen
Directors, Bandito Brothers
Gentlemen, the directing duo comprised of Brett Snider and Billy Federighi, joined Bandito Brothers in February 2009. The directors have since helmed numerous assignments for the company, including: a Kraft Lunchables projects via Draft FCB Chicago, shot on location in New Zealand, on which they worked with celebrated cinematographers Emmanuel Lubezki (Children of Men) and Igor Jadue-lillo (The Kids Are All Right, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy); “Moon Dunk”, for PowerBar Energy Blast via Publicis Dallas, which launched Lamar Odom into space; and Kellogg’s “Popumentary” via Leo Burnett, for which Gentlemen “documented” Corn Pops frolicking in the wild.
Read More »Web Advertising Site Launches Featuring Pete Erickson, Who Connects with the Truck Buyers in All of Us
TRAVERSE CITY, MI, January 25, 2009 – “There’s a new truck buyer out there, and a whole world of Web-based automotive advertising, and I want them to connect,” said Northern Michigan native Pete Erickson, whose work will be featured in the launch of WebSpotCentral, a new dedicated to Web-based commercials. While the site will showcase a variety of spots, the genuine, no-nonsense approach and passion Erickson brings to online videos has resonated with truck fans in particular. Complementing his commissioned work, Erickson’s experimental online videos include “The Road Less Traveled” about the Ford F-150. Even before Erickson’s spec work appeared on www.WebSpotCentral.com, versions of the videos – even rough edits without a soundtrack – made their way onto YouTube, in some cases garnering upwards of 440,000 views.
Long-considered a working man’s vehicle, trucks got a bad rap for a while and were deemed gas-guzzlers. Erickson wanted people to understand why trucks are inherently socially responsible and remain part of this country’s fabric. “The truck market isn’t necessarily about cup-holders and luxury. Trucks are a working asset to people who own them,” said Erickson. “It’s amazing what is under the skin when you take that truck apart.”
Erickson has done a good deal of work for automotive brands and agencies, but his experimental adventures in advertising confirm that there is a broad audience for his particular brand of online video production. “American car companies are getting that their customers are evolving,” the director observed. “The market for trucks has changed – men, women, rich, poor – and while the product is more technologically advanced than in previous generations, advertising has to connect with the core truck buyer in all of us.”
In “The Road Less Traveled,” the director takes the Ford F-150 over one of the most grueling test roads in the world. “This spot offers straight-up Ford toughness and no special effects – just a truck, a camera, and a 3/4 mile stretch of hell,” Erickson said. “Let the pictures tell the story.” He credits Sean Wilson, producer, and Jay Dalton, product expert, for helping realize his visions. On-camera car expert Rick Titus appears in Erickson’s videos, adding another layer of gravitas. The pair previously collaborated on the wildly successful “The Truth About Trucks” video series created via marketing firm Jackson Dawson.
For his part, Erickson believes truck buyers are especially interested in what goes into the building of their vehicles, and he’d like to see more of that in commissioned online advertising and video production. “If you’ve ever been in a car factory, you know that for truck drivers THIS is the story,” he stated. “You walk into the factory at 7 in the morning and this bare steel frame is put on the assembly line…and by 3:30pm it’s a truck.” Erickson explored that concept in “Birth of a Truck,” an online video he created for Ford and which enjoyed popularity on an official site about the Ford Super Duty truck.
Erickson actually came to directing through another passion: sports. After graduating from Ferris State University, he convinced the school to let him put together a 16-station college hockey network. The endeavor was an unqualified success, and soon he was directing live sports for all the major networks. Erickson’s work for NFL Football caught the eye of Detroit’s Ross Roy Agency, one of the original agencies for Chrysler. Working with the agency, he said, “I set a standard for how I like to work – clean, simple, relevant, and if I use visual effects they’re seamless.” Work for diverse clients such as Ford, GM, Mercedes Benz, McDonald’s, Cunard, Nicole Miller, Amnesty International, Dell, Miller, and American Airlines took him from the Pyramids to the great Wall of China. Throughout, Erickson said, one thing remained constant – his substantive connection with audiences. “If there’s no substance, all the style in the world doesn’t matter,” he explained. “So much emphasis has been placed on the glitzy, glamorous imagery created by the big production companies, but in some cases I think it’s misfired. The Web offers the purest connection between consumer and product, because in one way or another they’re seeking out this content. And isn’t advertising about giving people what they want?”
Erickson is currently at work on a commissioned viral piece for an undisclosed automotive client. “It’s a very quirky project, with a real sense of fun,” is all the director would say about the subject matter. “For all its amusement value, though, it’s presenting the facts, and that’s what works for me,” Erickson concluded. “I’ve always made it a priority to establish credibility with the audience. Whether it’s for the Ford F-150 or something else entirely, I use directing and online video production to tell stories people like me would be interested in.”
Pete Erickson
Director
Northern Michigan native Pete Erickson brings a genuine, no-nonsense approach and passion to online videos that have resonated with fans across the Web. Though known primarily for his automotive work, Erickson actually came to directing through another passion: sports. After graduating from Ferris State University, he convinced the school to let him put together a 16-station college hockey network. The endeavor was an unqualified success, and soon he was directing live sports for all the major networks. Erickson’s work for NFL Football caught the eye of Detroit’s Ross Roy Agency, one of the original agencies for Chrysler. Working with the agency, he helmed projects for McDonalds, Comerica Bank, and, of course, Chrysler, “It was through these experiences that I gained an appreciation for the refinement of the brand image and the connection that can be built linking the image, the product and the consumer,” he says. “I also set a standard for how I like to work – clean, simple, relevant, and if I use visual effects they’re seamless.”
In addition to projects for Ford, GM, and Mercedes Benz, Erickson found himself presented with opportunities outside the automotive arena. Work for clients such as Cunard, Nicole Miller, Amnesty International, Dell, Miller, and American Airlines took him to Mombasa Kenya, Monte Carlo, Tahiti, and Kuwait, from the Pyramids to the great Wall of China.
Erickson is currently at work on a commissioned viral piece for an undisclosed automotive client. “It’s a very quirky project, with a real sense of fun,” he says. “For all its amusement value, though, it’s presenting the facts, and that’s what works for me.”
Read More »Deek Production Collective Forms in LA
LOS ANGELES, CA, December 7, 2009 – Production collective Deek has launched in Los Angeles, under the aegis of directors Dan Reid and Brinton Jaecks. With a strong background in visual effects, Jaecks (via Logan) has contributed to projects such as the opening credits of "Zombieland," Apple Sonic (Coldplay), Apple Paint (for the Nano), the trailer for Sony Resistance 2, and Metal Gear Solid "Werewolf". Reid, a graphic designer-turned editor-turned director, has worked with varied clients like P&G, Adidas, and Gatorade. As Deek, the pair are joined by what they describe as "a small, rotating army of VFX artists." Deek’s all-new spec reel consists of humorous, effects-driven spots for Duvel, IBM, Trident, Tobaccula, and D&G.
Both Jaecks and Reid (pict., l-r) graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, an experience that inspired their current partnership. "The brand of creative thinking the school preaches encourages experimentation and, above all, selfless collaboration," Reid said. "We formed Deek to show what we can accomplish as a group, as opposed to the work we’ve done in our individual careers."
The directors and artists at Deek like to work on a spot from production through post, Reid said, saving a client precious time and money. "Having Brinton on set as both a director and FX supervisor is immensely helpful in that regard," he explained. Deek is currently meeting with production companies and representatives.
Reid added that Deek has developed technological innovations designed to be both cost-effective and to advance the filmmaking medium. "We’ve invented a robotic camera capable of performing an industry first," he noted, "and we’re very excited to take it for a test drive on a commercial or music video."
Read More »BMW M3 Spec Commercial from Bandito Garage
Consider this spec for the BMW M3 the ultimate in high-end user-generated content. Inspired by his affection for his own M3, creator/director Mouse McCoy wanted to play out this car fantasy, combining adrenaline-pumping and arresting visuals in a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Not only does this work capture the feeling Mouse describes as “Living in the Lights,” it’s a perfect example of what Bandito’s Garage - Bandito Brothers‘ one-stop automotive production shop – can do in-camera, with a few people, a lot of passion, and no barriers. This home-made print and broadcast campaign is arguably competitive with work attempted on a much larger scale, with less spectacular results, and at far greater cost.
Click HERE to see the longform version that’s garnered more than 380,000 views on YouTube in the past few days and is dominating BMW fan blogs all over the world (just search: BMW M3, BMW M3 Film, even BMW Film…). Those of you interested in learning more about the shoot can visit our AdSpoken page where Bandito CTO Jacob Rosenberg “Talks Tech”.
BMW “Living in the Lights”
Production: Bandito’s Garage
Creator/Director: Mouse McCoy
Director of Photography: Vic Huber
Editor: Steve Prestemon
Producer: Sumer Friedrichs
The Car: BMW M3
The Driver: Greg Tracy
The Girl: Niki Huey
